and then like a gun they turn the same words on us "do or die" as they threaten to kill our democracy.

I agree with this all and don't dispute it. But we also need to make sure our Democratic leaders and elected officials know this too. Because it seems like they are not keeping this in mind when dealing with Republicans, and 25+ years of that obliviousness is just as big a part of why we are in this mess. Not only do Republicans see their weakness and take advantage of it, voters see it too and react to it.

Our first priority needs to be regaining control at all costs. But once we have it again I hope we have a batch of Democrats that know what's at stake, learn from the mistakes of the past, and fight for this stuff like it matters rather than trying to play nice or reach across the aisle or worry about whether they are being civil or tarnishing their legacy.

What we do after we get control matters as much as getting that control. Since the approach our folks in charge have taken up until this point have proven to be so tenuous and weak that it could all be undone in such a short period of time should prove to them that our actions need to be stronger and more decisive and that they need to get out there and sell them and stand up and be strong.

Honestly, as far as Democrats go at this point I'm less concerned with whether they are moderate or liberal and more concerned with whether they are weak and cowardly or strong and brave.

But I am not sure it is in our DNA. We are, by nature, inclusive and fair minded. They are, by nature, authoritarian and tribal.

Furthermore, we have the distinct disadvantage of actually caring about the Constitution and Government Institutions. Trump has shown that none of that matters in the pursuit of "winning".

The only thing we do have going for us is that our policies are actually popular. Unfortunately, people will need to start seeing the damage done before they realize that they have done this to themselves. I often used to tell Conservatives and Libertarians that they should be grateful that they don't actually have to live in the world that they strive for. That is about to change.

Which is exactly why our politicians and leaders need to get out there and point this out and sell them and everything else. They've spent too long sitting back and expecting that the media was going to do it's job and that's not happening. They've also spent too long listening to the media tell them these things aren't popular, and believing it.

Politics is hard. Leading is hard. And too often I feel like the leaders on our side don't want to actually do that work. They don't need to be authoritarian. They don't need to be non-inclusive. They just need to stand up for what they are supposed to believe in.

It makes it harder for our politicians and leaders to convince people to stand up for them when they won't even stand up for themselves.

A prime example is Pelosi downplaying Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's win as being just the result of specific regional demographics. Why? What the fuck did that accomplish and who did she hope to win over by belittling that woman and her historic victory? Rather than just saying "Yes, in that district as in all around the country people are energized by youth involvement, grass roots efforts and united in the Democratic party's efforts at opposing Donald Trump and the unpopular Republican agenda ."she hems and haws and tries to make sure that this doesn't mean that the party is going to be too liberal or too socialist.

Or Schumer chastising Maxine Waters. Rather than just saying what he said about Trump and the Republicans setting the tone and everything else he said that was fine, he had to add that he didn't agree with Waters. Again....why? Who was the audience for that? The beltway fainting couch crowd in the media?

I mean I am a lifetime, party ticket voting Democratic party loyalist since the 80's and I will be until I die. But when I see bullshit like that from our 2 most powerful Democrats, it makes me slap my head in anger and embarrassment. How must someone with no loyalty to the party but who hates Trump and wants fighters in their corner feel about that?